1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle seats, such as adjustable seats in commercial utility vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to utilize seats in various utility vehicles, e.g., delivery trucks or the like, which can be placed in different positions. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,565,666 and 3,076,517 disclose delivery trucks with seats that support the driver in a seated driving position and can be moved forward to an "out-of-the-way" position to allow the driver to operate the vehicle in a standing position. In each of the above patents, the seat is moved to an inoperative position, i.e., a position where it does not support the driver, to permit standing operation of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,850 discloses an agricultural machine having a movable seat to accommodate sitting or standing operation. The seat includes a horizontal seat portion and a backrest portion. The horizontal portion is swung rearwardly (i.e., toward the rear of the machine) to allow the operator to stand and manipulate the machine. The backrest can be leaned forward so that the operator can either lean against the cushion or sit on the top surface of the backrest cushion. As is the case with the aforementioned patents, the horizontal seat portion is inoperative in this position as it does not support the operator.
The seats disclosed in these patents are thus inoperative, either in whole or in part, when the driver is operating the vehicle in a standing position. Consequently, fatigue arising from such standing operation is more likely to occur due to the lack of support for the driver.
German Patent No. 2,756,421 discloses a fork lift with a driving or operating cabin and a separate frame outside of the cabin which carries a seat. The seat frame is secured to the exterior of the vertical rear wall of the operating cabin and is movable toward and away from this rear wall to allow sitting or standing by the driver. The seat disclosed in this patent does not appear to be suitable for installation in the operating cab of a conventional vehicle since it is carried by a separate frame which is attached to the exterior of the operating cab of the fork lift.
In the fork lift disclosed in this patent, the seat frame is capable of being secured in this manner because there is no structure behind the rear wall of the operating cab of the fork lift. Such is not the case with the aforementioned types of utility vehicles, where there is a containment area for various material., e.g., refuse, typically disposed immediately behind the rear wall of the operating cabin. Thus, there is no space for securing an additional frame carrying the driver seat behind the cabin.